Conflicting Emotions by Split Enz

Conflicting Emotions, Split Enz's eighth studio album, came out on Mushroom in 1983 with Hugh Padgham producing, and the title is no joke. Where the Time and Tide sessions had been a happy time, this is where the band later said the breakup began. Tim Finn was busy promoting his solo album Escapade, so Neil Finn wrote and sang six of the ten songs.

The tension shows up in the rhythm section. Tim wanted Noel Crombie sidelined, so ex-Beach Boy Ricky Fataar, who had played on Escapade, drummed on "Message to My Girl" and a drum machine ticks away on most of the rest, a choice Neil later came to regret. Eddie Rayner's new Yamaha DX7 is all over the record; that "guitar" solo on "Strait Old Line" is actually him on the synth. Before the tour, Crombie went back to percussion and new drummer Paul Hester arrived in time for the "Message to My Girl" video. Former frontman Phil Judd painted the cover.

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